Trump Purges Homeland Security Dept. After Nielsen Ouster

Frustrated by the situation at the southern border, President Trump is purging leadership at the Department of Homeland Security to make his immigration agenda easier to enact, while the leadership void in his administration continues to grow. (Published Tuesday, April 9, 2019)

The acting deputy secretary of Homeland Security has been forced to resign amid a staff shakeup spurred by President Donald Trump's growing frustration over the number of Central American migrants crossing the southern border.

Claire Grady resigned Tuesday. She was technically the next in line to replace Kirstjen Nielsen, who resigned Sunday. But Trump chose Kevin McAleenan, the head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as acting secretary. That meant Grady had to resign or be fired.

Two officials with direct knowledge of the decision say Grady was forced to resign. The officials were not authorized speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Grady is a longtime civil servant with more than 28 years of experience at the departments of Defense and Homeland Security.

Kirstjen Nielsen Out as Dept. of Homeland Security Secretary

Kirstjin Nielsen resigned as the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on Sunday, marking an end to her controversial era at the helm of a department that oversaw migrant families separated at the border and a rising number of apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border. Nielsen has held the post since December 2017.